


say it (if it's worth saving me)

by intoxicatedlove



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, au-ish, but not really, true love trope, who doesn't love those
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 16:17:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8760187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intoxicatedlove/pseuds/intoxicatedlove
Summary: ok, so tonight's winter finale of ouat was super gay and crazy and in the midst of the (not so) plot twist, i totally thought the au rumple was going to be the hooded figure. obviously i was wrong, but it was very believable, so that idea is what produced this small fic. this is my first ao3 ff and i'm kind of nervous, but i hope everyone likes it! this was actually really easy for me to write and i had a lot of fun. there is short mention of h//k but he's very irrelevant, like in the show.but all in all, this is a swanqueen story. i'd like to mention that there is also no robin at the end either, so the story isn't completely based on the episode, it just follows it closely. sorry, i'm rambling. anyway, if you didn't watch the winter finale, i highly recommend doing so, and you won't be able to follow this story if you didn't. enjoy and go easy on me :-)side note: yes, the title is from the nickelback song "savin' me" bc my angsty preteen ass loved them and it fit OK A Y(i do not own any characters from once upon a time. this is for creative purpose and use only.)





	

"We had a deal!" The glittery imp that was supposed to be Rumpelstiltskin shrilled.

"We had no such thing." Regina replied, calmly.

"We," she paused, gesturing between herself and the Dark One, "are just old friends catching up. I'm going to go save Emma and you can't stop me."

"Now why would I want to do that, dearie?" The imp lilted with a bright gleam in his eye. "Without saving her, you won't be able to save yourself."

"What the hell does that mean?" The brunette asked sternly, darkness flashing briefly in her otherwise bright eyes.

"This is just how your stories are supposed to play out," Rumple's doppelgänger continued, "you and the _savior_ always _saving_ each other. It's rather poetic, don't you think?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Now, goodbye." Regina spun around on her heels, heading toward the dark cave entrance that held Rumple captive.

"Ah ah ah, _Your Majesty_." He sang, "You have your plan, but not all of it. You have no idea how to get back to," A brief and eery pause, "Storybrooke."

"How do you know the name of my town?" Regina demanded, seeking retribution.

"That is no matter. What you need to worry about is how you're going to get back. I have a way but, well, these cold bars are keeping me from helping you." Rumple replied with a coy smile.

With a wave of her hand, the cell opened for the treacherous imp. He exited and strode over to her, "Good job, dearie. A decision well made."

Regina rolled her eyes, "The escape plan?"

"Meet me by the lake tomorrow at noon where Snow and the Prince got engaged. I take it you know the one?" He asked sarcastically receiving another eye roll from the woman standing in front of him.

"You already know I do."

"Oh, how wonderful." The imp shrilled again as Regina turned and started toward the exit once more. "I'll see you tomorrow then." And with that, she was off to get Emma Swan back, the savior.

 

* * *

 

"Where the hell is he?" Regina said, "He's never late."

"Who?" Emma asked, _her_ Emma. _Regina's_ Emma. _Her son's other mother_ Emma. She is back.

"This world's Dark One. I sort of asked for his help to get you to remember you were the savior... I made a deal with him." The brunette whispered, looking down, awaiting the chastisement she knew was to come from the blonde.

"Regina! You out of anyone should know not to make deals with _him_." Emma said in rebuke.

"I know, but it was the only way I could find out how to get us home." She looked up, with smiling eyes and blushing cheeks.

"If you're sure he's helping us, then okay. I believe in you." Emma gave her best puppy dog face that was only reserved for the redeemed queen.

"Yes, well..." Regina trailed off, worry etched in her voice, "He was supposed to be here a little while ago."

Just then, an envelope appeared in the brunette's hand shocking both women.

"What the hell is that?" Emma asked, looking between Regina and the envelope.

The brunette held it up to get a better look and opened it, finding a note and a magic bean. She held the parchment up for both women to read.

 

 

 

 

 

> _Regina,_
> 
> _I've learned that you've found your savior, now it's time to find me._
> 
> _I believe you'll know exactly where I have gone._
> 
> _It's time for everyone to pay. Including you._

 

"Regina?" Emma asks, skepticism lacing her voice, "What does that mean?"

Regina wipes at her cheeks, now flowing with tears.

"We have to get out of here." She says with bated breath.

Emma nods her head slowly and looks into the brunette's red rimmed eyes, she knows not to push, not right now, so she holds out her hand for the other woman to take. "Let's go home."

Regina drops the bean and they jump through the swirling portal to Storybrooke.

 

* * *

 

"They're back!" Henry screams as he runs towards his mothers who are still holding hands and a bit winded from their return. They embrace him together.

"Emma!" David yells, joining the women and their son. He takes his daughter in his arms.

"I'm so glad you're back." David lets go of the blonde, looking her over.

"It's good to have you back, Love." Hook adds in as he strides over to the women who just appeared in the loft.

And then, Emma is bombarded with questions: "What the hell happened? Where did you go?"

"We'll have time for that later, but right now, we have a problem." She replies, looking to Regina who still has watery eyes.

"Yes, we need to get going." Regina says, looking to Henry and then David.

"Why? What's going on?" Henry asks, fright in his voice.

"The Dark One," Regina starts, but receives odd looks from the others in the room. She continues, "The Dark One from the Alternate Universe we just returned from. He's come here. I released him from the cell to find a way to get home. He said he'd help," She's rambling, and worried and doesn't know what to do. Emma squeezes her hand, urges her to calm down and tell them what's happening.

"The imp has used a magic bean to get here, he left a note." Regina finishes as she hands the note to David for them to read.

He reads the note and looks up at Regina. "What do you think he's going to do?" He asks.

"I don't know, but he's not going to hurt this family." Regina says, something like sadness mixed with pride in her voice. Emma still holding onto her hand, grounding her.

Then Emma speaks up, "Let's go find out what he's up to."

 

* * *

 

"There!" Emma yells, running toward the hooded figure in the middle of Main Street, large prophesied sword destined to kill her in hand. The others follow suit. They reach the figure.

"What the hell do you want, _imp_?" Regina demands, voice dripping with cruelty and disdain.

The figure pulls its hood back, revealing gold skin and dark, translucent eyes.

"To take away your happiness of course." He spits out, eyeing Regina coldly.

"I didn't do anything to you." She says, "None of us did."

"Oh, I know that, dearie. But a cowardly queen did long ago who looked just like you and, well, you're the next best thing." The crocodile, Rumpelstiltskin look-alike says, walking toward her slowly, revealing a sword.

Regina steps backward as he lifts the cold metal and steps toward her.

"Now," He continues, still walking, getting closer to the brunette, sword playing between his glittery fingers. "I'm going to take away your happy ending. This life. This sad, sad life. You're going to die for what she did. Not much of a loss, I'd say. You've turned into a self-loathing, pathetic excuse for an Evil Queen."

"Get away from her!" Henry yells from behind his blonde mother. Emma puts an arm in front of him so he can't get near the man.

"Oh, dear boy, nothing good ever came from trying to be the hero." The imp says, looking to Henry whose eyes are welling up.

"Please," He says, "don't hurt my mom."

Tears now marring his face.

"Henry, stay back." Emma whispers as she walks toward the scene playing out before her.

Just then, the Dark One lifts the sword and goes after Regina. Emma runs to them and stops his blade with her's before Regina is touched. The brunette gets out of the way and runs toward Henry, David, and Hook, embracing her son and shielding his eyes from what's playing out in front of them.

The imp loses leverage as Emma keeps her ground, challenging him to a fight. Soon, it's a clash of bated breath and metal clanks as Emma tries her best to fight the scaly figure in the cloak. She is getting tired and breathless, trying to keep focus on her mission.

She can't let this man take away Regina. Her best friend. Her son's other mother. The woman who is always there for her. The woman who has become part of her family.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist a fight to protect the queen." The imp spits out breathlessly.

Emma sputters, looking bewildered.

"This is your prophesy, savior. This is how you die - protecting the ones you love. You know how us Rumpelstiltskins are. We do love a good undoing." He laughs maniacally, "You didn't really think I'd come here just for the queen, did you? Oh, no. I'm here for you, too. Every savior needs a villain. And she's yours. She made you the savior. You're going to die doing what you were born to do. What _she_ made you."

This makes Emma angry, angrier than angry. She gets her bearings and pushes up on her sword against his causing the imp's to fly out of his hands. The noise distracts the blonde and the imp takes her sword, the one destined to kill her. Then she starts shaking. It's happening, she thinks. This is the vision.

 

"Emma! NO!" Regina screams as her and the rest of the group run toward them, but it's too late. The sword is getting plunged into her abdomen and she sputters and falls to the ground. Her fall is followed by dark smoke and the hooded imp is gone leaving horror in his wake.

Regina runs to the blonde with tears raining down her cheeks. She collapses and holds Emma close to her body to keep her warm.

"This isn't how it's supposed to end," Regina sobs, "you idiot." And now she's crying some more and gasping for air and clutching Emma's almost lifeless body to her chest. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have asked that imp for help. I just wanted to get you home."

"No, R'gina," Emma tries, breathlessly. "It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself, please." The words fall to a whisper as Emma's breaths get more shallow.

Regina feels helpless and guilty and torn, but she continues because she _has to_. She has to tell her.

"But it was supposed to be us and Henry and happily ever after. You and me and your insufferable parents and our son being a family. That's what you always wanted for yourself - a family." She cries out. "That's what I always wanted. And now that's what we have and you're not supposed to die because of it - _for_ it. Damnit, Emma. I love you. You're idiotic and irritating and make me want to shake the nonsense out of you most of the time, but you're also an amazing mother and the greatest friend and a beautiful person. you're the savior - my savior - and I love you. So, please - please - don't die. Don't leave me. Your son. Your family. We can't live without you." Regina is crying harder than she ever has before, and green eyes close. She feels for Emma's pulse - it's not there.

No. No. NO. This isn't happening, she thinks. And then, she gets an idea. What has she got to lose when most of what she has is lying breathless in her arms? So, she does what she's never done before. She kisses Emma tentatively on the lips. And she's scared and there are a million things running through her mind right now. What if this doesn't work? But she does it and waits with closed eyes and held breath. And then there's a flash of light, rainbow light making its way outward from Emma's body. And Emma is gasping for air and looking up at her. And Emma's eyes are open and there is life in them and it worked.

"You did it." Emma says as she looks into Regina's big, brown, beautiful eyes that are so full of love in that moment.

"I did it for you. That's what we've always done, right? Save each other?" Regina asks with a half sob, half laugh.

"Like you said, I am your savior, but I guess you're mine too." Emma whispers the last part as if she only wants Regina's ears to hear her words. Like she's confirming everything they've ever done for each other in that very moment. "I love you too, Regina Mills."

And then Henry is beside them and there's a lot of hugging and forehead kisses ~~and sulking pirates~~ and tears and their family is okay for now. Their family is together again and stronger than ever and that's all that matters, right?

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! please review and tell me what you think! (also follow me over on twitter for swanqueen ramblings and gayness @biswanmills)


End file.
